Wildfire smoke and heat: Extreme heat warnings are spreading across the U.S. as a “heat dome” keeps nights from cooling down, while Canada’s wildfire smoke continues to choke air quality far beyond the fire lines—raising risks for asthma, heart and lung problems, and even long-term impacts like cancer and dementia. AI data centers and water: A new University of Colorado Boulder report finds states are using four main tools—reporting, conservation, incentives, and water-permit rules—to rein in AI data center water use amid growing local backlash. Protests go national: Opponents of data center buildouts plan coordinated protests in at least 125 U.S. locations, arguing the expansion is “unaccountable” and driving higher power bills, water diversion, and pollution. Colorado policy watch: A separate CU Boulder piece highlights how Colorado’s AI law shifted from preventing algorithmic discrimination to narrower transparency requirements that could face federal legal challenges. Public lands labor: National Park Service workers in the Mountain West voted to unionize, citing staffing cuts, low pay, and housing strain. Wildlife management: Colorado limits fur-trapper take to two animals per species per day, while keeping fur sales allowed. Health and safety in Colorado: Colorado’s attorney general says he’s ready to push for a tuberculosis investigation at an Aurora ICE detention center. Science in the backyard: Researchers used “silly sprinklers” to solve Feynman’s sprinkler physics mystery, showing how water’s angular momentum drives rotation.